


Not This House

by CinnaMonroe



Category: Home Alone (Movies), 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Quirks (My Hero Academia), Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku Friendship, Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku are Best Friends, Christmas, Christmastime, Comedy, Fluff, Gen, He is a vicious determained little gremlin, Healthy Relationships, Home Alone Inspired Shenanigans, Humor, Izuku Home Alone, Kurogiri is Shirakumo Oboro, Mash-up, Merely mentioned characters are not tagged, Merry Christmas, Midoriya Izuku Home Alone, Not all superheroes wear capes, References to Home Alone Movies, Unconventional Weapons, Use the wok, Yagi Toshinori with a shovel, Young Midoriya Izuku, mischievous mayhem, universe mashup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:15:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,806
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21916603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CinnaMonroe/pseuds/CinnaMonroe
Summary: Izuku wasn't supposed to be alone but fortunately that didn't bother him for long.Unfortunately for a couple of crooks, he was home.And he was resourceful.(Home Alone AU)
Relationships: Bakugou Katsuki & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Izuku & Yagi Toshinori | All Might
Comments: 12
Kudos: 114





	Not This House

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas! A surprise one shot that is completely standalone! Wanted to do something for fun!
> 
> Basically this is Home Alone but with Izuku rather than Kevin though I mixed some elements of the first three Home Alone movies into this. I got inspired while rewatching them for the holiday season and went: ... I can totally see certain characters in these roles.
> 
> It was supposed to be shorter but I wanted more bonding and development vs just narrating paraphrased things to save writing time and story length. I think it worked out better in the long run, since I tried to avoid completely recreating the movie exactly (Waste of time and boring) but work in elements from My Hero Academia to make this mashup crossover. 
> 
> Hope you enjoy~

* * *

Tomura had plenty of regrets in his short life, even though he would deny them with utter sincere ignorance as his feelings were a conundrum usually simplified as “moody” and “apathetic.” He could count the number of his failures with ease, not being many but still memorable as they contrasted his accomplishments. However he was not expecting this recent addition to the count as his pride was bruised nearly as much as his partner’s obscured face that was buried behind a piled up scarf, barely showing wispy wild hair that sprang up from it like an untamable cloud.

Sure he was a juvenal delinquent but his rap sheet was longer than most incarcerated felons. By age twelve he was underestimated minor who despite a usual disheveled appearance, ran the streets with ease and was sought out as a valuable asset for under the radar work for less than savory characters of society. He could slip into places others couldn’t thanks to his thin frame and skill with locks as they as might as well disintegrate in his capable hands; he could ward off suspicion by unnerving people thanks to his haunted appearance alone, seemingly granting him the ability to be invisible as eyes were adverted to avoid confrontation or betray interest at the unsightly smear among society. 

He was a phantom that made use of the discarding treatment, living for himself and himself alone while sticking it to those who thought they were better than him, that he wasn’t important. But he had given himself a new name, thrown away that unwanted weak child his fractured memory told him existed, his past a haze of smiles, tears, warmth, pain and cold. Now at fifteen he was was working his way up, proving himself a valuable asset that was not to be treated as a patsy that could easily be traded. 

He knew abandonment and it gave him a taste of glee at the thought of the reaction of his victims upon realizing they had unwillingly lost something of value, him stealing that sense of security and joy away. It served them right, leaving him on the streets to fend for himself until he realized the only person he could rely on was himself, that society had no heroes, only those who pretended to be saints when the right people were looking. Members of the underworld may not care for him but they valued his work and Tomura was happy to indulge while making ends meet. He didn’t mind the odd jobs, generally. 

This heist was proving him wrong in all kinds of unpleasant ways, making him momentarily reconsider his choice of occupation and actually wonder if foster care and school wouldn’t be so bad, giving up his freedom to free himself from the current predicament. 

Simply unthinkable. 

The job should have been easy. He’d even scoped out the neighborhood the past few days, waiting for a chance to strike. The residence was supposed to be empty for a few days, giving plenty of freedom to ransack it with care or to turn it upside down as a random burglary in order to locate the desired item. An item worth a load of money yet required a careful inconspicuous hand that landed Tomura as first pick for the job thanks to his ghost like work. All he had to do was get in and get out, with minor worries about an alarm system if one at all as he tested days before while scoping out the joint. 

A storm had even knocked out the power a couple days ago, which would have been an optimal time to raid the residence but it had been occupied. To top it off the phone lines and a nearby cell tower were still down and usual neighbors at home were away on vacation for the holiday. It was the perfect set up to give them cover during the day, some idiots confirming they would be gone on social media and the neighborhood forum that he could lurk in. The other houses would simply be bonus if he were a petty thief but this was a specific mission, a simple retrieval. 

Yet why was it so hard!? 

Something that he was presently considering hardly worth the effort it was taking to acquire but it was beyond professionalism now. 

It was **personal.**

“Tomura-” 

“Shut up, Kuro.” He snapped at his older companion who by all rights did not have to take his lack of manners. However said companion, despite being physically older, acted a bit off at times thanks to an apparent head trauma he’d suffered in his youth that wiped his memory and required plastic surgery to fix, leaving him an enigma of a man that society also forgot. 

The injury left the man dubbed “Kuro” a bit of a wildcard in terms of personality as he seemed to flip between personas as if two different people were fighting for the wheel of the long past train wreck. Sometimes he seemed to act his apparent age, somewhere in his twenties and more levelheaded, and others he was more like an excitable carefree teenager. However despite the conflict he was dependable and stuck with Tomura as if deciding he needed to play babysitter rather than actual competent partner. However in the three years since they had first been paired up for a job, the loyal man earned a spark of odd fondness the teenager was not willing to admit. 

Tomura let out a growl as he glared at the seemingly impenetrable fortress that in fact was being defended by a lone yet resourceful occupant. “We’re getting our asses handed to us by a **kindergartner.** ” 

“Actually, I think he’s elem-” 

“Shut up, shut up, **shut up!** ” Tomura snarled, reeling on Kuro as he came close to smacking his arm repeatedly but resisted, something deeply rooted in him making him freeze at a raised hand. Instead his hands twitched in irritation and he scratched at his neck as hives broke out, the itch unbearable as the problem seemed to get under his skin. “The little runt has been toying with us long enough, pretending his parents are home!” 

“Do you really think we should do it, even with the kid there?” Kuro pressed, the more conscience-driven persona emerging as he rubbed at his hidden face from where he had slipped and faceplanted on the intentionally iced walkway. Tomura’s back was stinging as well from where he’d flipped first, his shoes finding no traction on the seemingly black ice. “Seems like a gamble since it’s locked up tight. He could squeal to the cops. Maybe the assignment is a bust and we should wait-.” 

“That house is the only reason why we’re here! And that little jerk is the one throwing a wrench in our plans!” Tomura jabbed a finger into Kuro’s chest, feeling it sink into the bundled layers before hitting actual fest. “He’s on lockdown with no way to call the cops, he doesn’t know who we are. We have a deadline. We’re not giving up. I’m not letting this twerp **win!** ” 

“The kid’s resourceful though. First, it was the dog, then firecrackers and now it was ice. What if-” 

“We’re not messing around anymore! I’m not going to say I foiled a job because a little kid pulled a fast one!” 

“What do you want to do?” 

Smartest thing the man had said in a while, reenforcing that Tomura, despite being his junior, called the shots. It was the right passive support and resignation that Tomura’s ego and confidence needed for a boost. It sent a momentary spark of pleasure that something was going his way and he had an ounce of control. 

“We come back tonight and finish the job, let him think we’ve given up. Darkness will give us cover, plus little kids are afraid of the dark.” 

“Generally. I dunno about this one though, Tomura. Plus we’re on his turf.” 

“It’s two against one and we’ve caught onto him. Plus there’s only the front door, kid can’t slip out the back. We’ve even got windows as options. We know he’s alone now, we called his bluff.” 

“Good point. Kid can’t stay awake all night anyways, we’ll catch him off guard between the two of us. Third night’s the charm.” 

The duo stood in the fenced front yard, scrutinizing the house and its unseen occupant. Things were going to finally go the right way tonight. If the kid did end up running scared once his defense were breeched, it would make the job easier except if he ran for the cops. Or went for a nearby house for help though all the surronding ones were empty. 

No Tomura was going to catch the brat and scare him so bad to never tell a soul if he wanted to live in one piece. 

“Kid’s lucky there’s no chimney or he’d find out not just Santa Claus comes down it.” Tomura glared as lively Christmas decorations contrasted his less than holiday spirit. 

“Hey, maybe we should have tried saying we work for him. You know, his elves undercover checking houses for if kids really are naughty or nice.” 

Tomura squinted at his companion as they turned to leave, plotting for that night. “You really make me wonder how much is cuz of your screwed up brain and how much is being a natural weird dumbass.” 

“Kids have wild imaginations!” 

“Just, shut up and come on. We’ll get the twerp tonight.” 

He was not prepared for the wok that was abruptly dropped out of the second story window like it were an anvil in a cartoon, whacking Kuro on the back of the head and shoulders with a resounding clang, perhaps from hitting the apparent metal plate in his head. Kuro instantly folded, faceplanting once more next to Tomura, seemingly out cold. 

“Am I dropping strong enough hints?” A young voice called out and Tomura bristled at the taunt as he glared up at the quickly shutting window, curtains rustling though he saw a hint of unruly green hair. His teeth snapped together so tightly he almost broke them as his blood boiled. 

The little jerk was going down, asset or no asset. 

Someone had to teach the punk a lesson. 

Today was the last day of this circus.

* * *

Izuku’s Christmas vacation was nothing like he expected. Rather, it was nothing any logical eight year old would imagine even in their wildest dreams. Well, maybe some, but they never actually found themselves in the actual realized scenario. Thankfully, Izuku was both logical and imaginative.

It had started when he headed home from Kacchan’s house, carrying a bag of freshly gifted firecrackers that had been “generously” gifted to him after Kacchan’s mother had demanded them out of the house before they went on vacation per her words: “Heaven help us if the house catches on fire and the explosives go with it.” 

The playdate had wrapped up as they were rushing out the door for their impromptu road trip to visit relatives—though Kacchan’s mother insisted she’d been talking about it for weeks, something Izuku believed given how certain things went in one ear and out the other for his best friend if he wasn’t interested. 

Kacchan griped while shoving the bag into Izuku’s hands and told him not to use them all at once. He then had hissed he’d start keeping his stash at Izuku’s for safekeeping as his mom was starting to increase the raids to rid their house of fire hazards and curb her son’s fascination with explosives, which she loudly hoped to everyone was signs of a career as a bomb defuser, let alone a one man bomb squad. It was an important job and Izuku didn’t doubt his best friend’s capabilities nor confidence.

“I can always get more.” Kacchan muttered under his breath with an annoyed but devilish smile after he deposited the goods into Izuku’s arms rather than dump them in the outside trash as instructed. “I know where the big kids stash them in the neighborhood. ‘Sides, can always shake down someone to cough some up. I’m responsible, they’re butthead idiots.” 

Despite being eight, Kacchan had established himself as a force to be reckon with and thankfully he was a force usually by Izuku’s side.

“You sure, Kacchan?” Izuku looked at the bag, curious but cautious at what he was presently in possession of. Some of these had to be legal, he just had to go through them and toss the hazardous ones to reduce the chance of police showing up at his door as if he were sitting on a cache of embargoed goods. Plus Mom would not not appreciate fire hazards in their home despite Izuku’s interests. “I dunno…”

“Izu, you’re the most goodie person I know. But don’t try to act like you’re not mischievous!” The ash-blonde poked Izuku in the ribs, glaring at him. “At least with you I know you’ll keep them safe. Try not to burn down the neighborhood while I’m gone.”

“Why, so we can do it together?” Izuku grinned, earning a punch to the arm that was rough but playful as Kacchan grinned back, looking fired up. He tenderly rubbed his arm but shrugged it off, “Besides, my dad’s finally coming home today so we can go on vacation while mom’s out of town.”

“Almost forgot you had a dad. But hey, if your house burns down while I’m gone, I’m going to kill you.”

“Me? Burn down the house, I don’t think so. Who do you think you’re talking to?”

“The same one who showed me how to make a homemade blowtorch… No, you’d just mess with that glue gun or something to prank someone while acting like an angel.” Kacchan poked Izuku in the ribs, smile widening. “You can’t trick me, Izu. I’ve known you since we were two.”

“Long as it works for others.” Izuku shrugged, a mischievous twinkle in his eye as he looked like a sweet faced cherub while Kacchan had been on more than one occasion compared to a gremlin. Truth be told Izuku had more of a devilish streak in him at times than Kacchan, who surprisingly was a stickler for certain rules.

  


“Katsuki!” The matriarch of the household called and Kacchan rolled his eyes, shoving his hands into his pockets defiantly as he rooted himself to the spot. It wasn’t enough to stop the commands, the tone growing firmer as the battle of the wills continued. “Time to go! **Now!** ”

“Ugh, she’s not going to stop unless I do.” Kacchan gave a kick, sending a pebble rolling out of his yard. “See you around, Izu.” 

“Bye!” Izuku waved as the blond begrudgingly retreated toward the family car where the ever grounded and peacemaking Masaru Bakugou sat behind the wheel while his wife stood with arms folded as she made sure their son was complying. The way Kacchan got into the car was almost like a criminal being placed in a cop car given the vibe the two type-a’s gave off even from a distance, sparks flying when the two made eyecontact. 

Mitsuki Bakugou closed the door on a sulky Kacchan who pressed his face against the window in a savage, mocking expression as his mom turned her back to him, giving a wave as she rounded the car to get into the passenger seat. “Bye, Izu-chan! Have a wonderful Christmas!” 

“Thanks, Bakugou-san! You too!”

Izuku watched as the Bakugou family pulled out of the driveway and drive off, though he saw through the window Kacchan and his mom were getting into a spat once more. He shrugged, not quite understanding the dynamic as his relationship with his parents was far different given neither were reactionary or aggressively assertive. 

He turned around and set off for home, a smile on his face as held the bag in both his arms, looking down in thought at seeing his dad face to face for the first time in a year as work aboard was demanding. The man should be home by now, though Izuku might beat him as the playdate had been cut short but at least he had left a note. Still he felt excitement at the prospect of bonding with his absent father. 

His smile froze and he stilled like a rabbit sensing a predator as the sound of scrapping metal reached his ears. His heart quickened as the sound grew louder as if drawing closer and he looked up to see a gigantic figure near the end of his block where the streets intersected. 

The resident urban legend. 

The neighborhood cryptid. 

Izuku stared frozen at the figure who was presently on the sidewalk across the street from him, shovel in hand as he scrapped at the curb, a trashcan nearby. Instantly his mind raced to what the neighborhood kids had said days ago about the tall, solitary and peculiar man as they all hung out at the park, the older kids chatting.

“You know Old Man Yagi?”

“Yeah, I heard he’s from America. That he had to flee the States because he’s a wanted man.” 

“Wanted?! For for what?” 

“Ever heard of the Stateside Shovel Slayer?” 

“No...?”

“Don’t even try to look it up online, it’s a total cover up so there’s nothing. See, like fifty years ago he murdered his whole family... with a shovel.”

“What? No way!”

“Yeah, been hiding out here since, getting asylum since this is his home country and the US feds can’t touch him on foreign soil.”

“How come the cops didn’t arrest him in the States?”

“Not enough evidence to convict. They never found the bodies. But everyone around here knows he did it. Now it’ll just be a matter of time before he does it again.”

“What do you mean, no bodies?”

“He has that can of salt as he shovels, right? That’s how he did it in the States. He made them mummies and then disposed of them. No one else salts the streets, just him. For a **reason.** ”

“I’d say it’s a load of BS except I’ve seen a detective stop by sometimes. Something is definitely up with the guy.” Kacchan had declared, arms folded across his chest as he demanded the other kids’ attention as he and Izuku couldn’t help eavesdropping. Izuku had frozen at his friend’s statement, knowing that Kacchan, while many things, was not a liar. “Just watch, you’ll eventually see a guy in a trench coat appear. He’s keeping tabs on the geezer.”

Izuku blinked in the present, mind still racing as he held still. It was true there was something unnerving about the reclusive man who went out if his way to salt the streets even though there was no need to do such a thing in the urban parts of Japan. Maybe it was a quirk from living in America for so long, maybe he was just keeping busy, or maybe he was biding his time to claim another victim. There had to be more to it, the older kids were just spinning stories, surely there was a good non-homicidal reason why an alleged detective was visiting-

The sound of scrapping stopped and Izuku’s blank stared focused to find his gaze being met by the alleged Slayer. A thin face with sunken cheeks looked back at him; features belonging more to a skeleton than a man except for the mess of blond hair with streaks of silver hinting any relation to being a human being. It was like the grim reaper himself was living on his street. 

The tall skeletal man smiled, like death himself had come to call as a large toothy grin flashed at Izuku, light eyes seemingly sparkling with dangerous interest. The predator had spotted its prey.

Izuku in turn thought of only one response, purely primal from the days mankind was not top of the food chain.

“AAAAAAAHHHHH!” The distraught scream he emitted would make any terrified rabbit proud. As quick as he could managed he turned and sprinted in the direction of home, still screaming as he tore away from the watchful man armed with a shovel and a haunting disposition. Izuku made it past the gate of his front yard and as he took a breath for more air he fumbled with his spare key and opened the door, hastily slammed it behind him. Hastily he set the locks before dashing toward the living room, still armed with the bag of firecrackers. 

“Dad?” He called out, huffing as he looked around, realizing he didn’t see any men’s shoes in the entryway as he hurriedly kicked off his own shoes. In fact the only shoes were his own, not counting the slippers that sat neatly in a row, waiting to be used. 

Returning to an empty house was not cause for alarm as he knew his mom had run off to the airport for a flight that had suddenly switched departure times. On top of that, a surge from a downed power line had fried her charging phone and knocked out power for the day. She had left in a flurry, covering him with kisses and apologizes, promising to call as soon as she had a moment at the airport. Unfortunately, she had forgotten the neighborhood announcement that phone lines would be down due to maintenance work that could not be avoided for the holidays. 

“Looks like I did beat him home.” Izuku panted, heart slowly calming down as he was within the safe confines of his comfortable house. He looked around to make sure everything was in order before heading for the stairs to stash the bag in his room. With the danger safely locked outside he was able to focus, talking to himself to fill the quiet void in the house. “Guess he got held up at the airport. He should be home soon. Just have to wait.”

Hours passed and his father still had not come through the front door. Izuku hummed with frustration that while the power worked the internet and phone lines were still down. He tapped at his tablet, pulling up the various shows and movies he had downloaded previously to help pass time by. A pang of hunger hit him and he slid off the couch and went to prepare himself something to eat. “His plane must be really delayed. Mom’s going to flip when she finds out.” 

After scrounging for some food and making enough for later to share with his father once he arrived, Izuku settled back into the living room. He pulled the tablet back into his lap, checking the battery life as he slipped the charger into it and settled in to wait in the safety and comfort of the indoors. It wasn’t the first time he had been left alone for a few hours but the unknown length of time until he would company again clawed at him, mild worry nibbling at his calm that something bad had happened to cause the delay.

“This must be what it felt like before the internet or cellphones.” He wondered out loud, heaving a sigh before flopping back into his seat with conviction to keep busy and push needless fretting away. He was safe, he was warm, and he had plenty of food. All bare minimums for survival if the end of the world somehow occurred before Christmas which was merely days away.

Eventually, bored from hours of being a couch potato, he fell asleep in a big chair, watching a movie that featured a dog with a boisterous bark that made him twitch a few times as he was drifting off. Izuku was dozing peacefully, the faint noise of the movie still playing when there was a clear clanking noise that jarred him awake. He shot up in his seat, eyes wide open as he looked toward the door, his heart racing with excitement that it was the car door of a cab dropping off his father.

A shadow appeared in front of the small frosted window near the door as there was the sound of feet shuffling and Izuku grinned. He started to slide off his seat, clutching the tablet as he opened his mouth to call out.

“Can you be any clumsier?” A raspy voice hissed as a second shadow detached itself from behind, leaving a smaller one where the taller one had been seen. 

“Sorry. A bit of ice, didn’t mean to kick that statue. What is that… a duck? A goose?”

“The hell like I care! Just focus!” The raspy voice snapped, seemingly elbowing the taller figure with a slightly deeper yet lighter voice who appeared to be looking down. “In and out, quick and easy.” There was a faint scratching at the door, the doorknob being jostled.

 _That’s not Dad. Who?_

Izuku stood frozen as his heart began racing, nervous breathes escaping him as he was rooted to the spot trying to think. No one should be at his door at this time of the night. What had the news said about home deterrents? How to secure your home and what to do if you left it?

Lights. 

He needed lights. But would that be enough? So many homes had automatic sensors it was like how people were indifferent to car alarms. Mom said to leave a light on when they went out but what else could he do? His voice was caught in his throat as small gasps escaped him and his hands curled out of anxiety, his pounding heart punching breath out of his chest.

He felt something in his hand and looked down, remembering the tablet. The idea hit him as his fight or flight instincts went to war with one another, panic taking the backseat as adrenaline took over. With hurrying footsteps he cranked the volume up with rapid presses and pressed play on the idle screen with a hurried slap as he scrubbed the video back.

Instantly savage barks of a large dog boomed in the house as he raced for the stairs near the front door, trying to take the high ground. As he sprang into the hallway he flipped on the light as he dodged into a doorway, preventing himself from being backlit as he threw another switch, turning on an additional outdoor light. He pressed himself against the wall, taking deep breaths as his heart pounded, clutching the tablet close to his chest as the dog in the movie kept up its uproar like it as rabid.

“I thought you said no one was home.” The taller of the two sounded perplexed in a near stage whisper. “They have a dog?”

“Damn, their plans probably changed. I didn’t think they had a mutt. Come on.” The raspy voice insisted and the shadows disappeared from the front door with the sound of hurrying feet against pavement, one sliding. The footsteps grew more distant as the duo vacated the premises though Izuku did not move from his spot to check for their outlines through the window.

“It’s okay. It’s all over. Dad will be home soon. I have to hold down the fort until he gets here. Mom will be worried.” He whispered to himself as he curled in on himself, shaking as moments seemed to stretch out far too long. He hugged the tablet close, feeling the sounds from the speaker vibrate through his body but in the dead quiet of the house and haunting unknown outside, he welcomed it and after a few hours of nerves wound tight and the alert of a hunted animal he fell asleep curled against the wall as exhaustion over took him.

It would be better in the morning.

Or so he had thought. 

When he woke up he was still on the floor, door latched and no sign of his father anywhere. Izuku swallowed his nerves and checked the internet and phones once more, finding still no connection. A nervous hum escaped him and he set off for the kitchen to make breakfast to busy himself. He had survived his first night home alone. Maybe it had all been a dream, a nightmare brought on by too much of an imagination and shows.

He blinked when he realized the lights were still on. Goosebumps covered his skin as he peeked out a window, spotting the doorstep statue that was knocked askew and set not quite back in place right. Not a dream. Someone had been there last night, scoping out his house. 

He swallowed nervously, trying to figure out his options since this was not something one usually dealt with nor was taught about in school. If only his mom let him watch more of those crime shows, but they scared her and they did sometimes cause nightmares. Izuku took a deep breath, staring thoughtfully at the phone sitting in the entryway.

Calling the police would do nothing—even if he could contact them—there was no evidence and what trouble would his parents land in for Izuku spending the night all alone with no adult supervision? He bit his lip as he rocked on his heels in thought, looking down at his tablet. Surely he had scared them off for good. 

“When Dad gets home, I’ll tell him. We can go to the police together.”

The morning alone wasn’t too bad as Izuku went about the house cleaning and putting things away though his mom kept a fairly clean home as it was. After he found nothing else to organize or wipe down he sat on his bed in thought, holding open a book about superheroes that usually had him totally engrossed. He let out a sigh and nodded to himself before deciding to dare venturing outside to the front yard at least to scope out the neighborhood.

“This isn’t so bad.” Izuku smiled to himself as walked down the path of his house some minutes later, dressed warmly as the air was crisp. He looked at the askew duck statue and gently put it back into its rightful position. Thankfully the smaller statue of a baby duck was ducked safety against the house and he gave it a fond pat to see it fending for itself just fine. “Maybe I should go get a few things from the store. Mom left that money in the bowl just in case after all.” 

He gently felt the yen in his pocket before growing bolder and setting down the pathway. “There’s nothing to be scared of, those guys aren’t coming back. It’ll be real quick. It’s not my first errand.”

A wider grin was on his face as he looked down at his feet, thinking as he kicked a few stray clumps of snow out into the road. Suddenly as he reached the end of the walkway his hair stood on end as a forgotten sixth sense manifested, invoking the strong feeling he wasn’t alone. As if detecting a mere change in air he looked up to see a tall bundled figure across the street, regarding him quietly with a shovel in hand and a deserted street between them. 

Old Man Yagi.

“AAAAAH!” The unrestrained instinctual shriek escaped him and he bolted back toward his house, forgetting about his bold venture. He slammed the key into the lock and threw the door open before slamming it shut, bracing his back against it as he huffed for air. 

Okay, maybe no more ventures outside alone unless completely necessary. 

Besides, for sure his father should be home before nightfall. Izuku just had to sit tight and wait.

And wait he did. 

Until the shady duo came back for a second time that night, ever persistent under the cover of darkness. 

That time though he was wide awake and armed with firecrackers, including the not yet discarded illegal ones. The gunfire sounds it let off was enough to let anyone think World War III had just started. Also the screams from a certain movie blasted through the tv speakers helped sell the madness while Izuku flickered the lights like he were a poltergeist incarnate. For added effect he threw some out of the upper story window outside, causing more explosions that were not muffled by the interior of the house, sounding like a full out gang war at a Yakuza’s hideout. The duo was caught completely off guard, one smacking into the other and the two scurrying off and disappearing.

If anyone on the block was home, they would have surely called the cops or come inquiring. Which it seemed Izuku was indeed the sole house presently inhabited thanks to all the holiday travels. As he watched the duo disappear he grinned widely to himself, a sense of mischievous pride and satisfaction taking over that he was defending his castle as he awaited the delayed return of the king.

After that he decided not to take any chances and made preparations on the outside of the house the third day. Water along the pathway froze over in the early morning which was good as the determined criminals decided to chance a daytime break in. And that they did, apparently spotting him out earlier and figuring out all that had happened was because of him, despite his bluffs indoors of calling for his mom and dad to get the door. 

Following their retreat, with promises to return for the night foolishly out loud, Izuku checked to make sure the coast was clear and went to retrieve the dropped wok from outside, stashing it. He had a home to secure. No one was going to invade his home, whatever they were after. He was the man of the house, he had to defend it.

Izuku stood in the hall way, surveying his surroundings, his mind formulating a plan. With a determination in his eyes and a fierce, almost feral expression he grin, “Not this house.”

If thwarting them from the outside wasn’t working, the inside needed to be reenforced if they made their way inside. They weren’t going to learn their lesson and it seemed they were after something specific. Izuku tried to think of what it could be, given the home lacked any true valuables though his mind went to his dad’s office which was almost a forbidden domain in itself for sake of organization and confidential matters.

Thinking it over, if they were indeed after something from his dad, these guys wouldn’t quit. He had to notify the police, especially if his dad still wasn’t going to be home. Or worse, they went after his dad himself. Izuku curled his fists, his brow pinching together. He would have to pin them down this time. 

Deciding to chance one last venture outside Izuku slipped out the front door, once more bundled. The two surely weren’t about as they were resolved to come back tonight, but he had to scope out the neighborhood, just in case. He kept low behind the fence line and peeked around a entryway pillar. The streets seemed void of all life, no traffic or pedestrians about. Izuku took a deep breath and took a tentative step out and then another before dashing off the direction of the next street over.

As he ran, heart pounding as he looked over his shoulder to make sure he wasn’t being followed, he heard an audible “SHHRK” and suddenly his foot went forward. His arms flailed as he tried to catch himself and his other foot slipped as well, sending him crashing to the ground onto his back. A startled gasp escaped him as he stared up at the sky, the world spinning as his back smarted while his mind went blank. 

“Young man, are alright!?”

There was the sound of hurried booted footsteps drawing near before stopping nearby. Large yet gentle hands were suddenly underneath his shoulders and lifting him up. The world seemed to still be spinning as he found himself in a sitting position, dazed as the unknown concerned, deep voice kept speaking, softly brushing off his back.

“Did you hit your head? Ah, don’t get up, catch your breath.” 

Izuku stared blankly at the empty street as the voice continued, the hands still brushing him off from behind. 

_Who?_

“I’m sorry, m’boy. I didn’t get to salting this side of the street yet.” There was a frustrated sound followed by a wet cough that was muffled by a clearing of the throat. The hands on his back disappeared though the voice continued, “I’ve been petitioning the city to get on that, I’m not as fast as I used to be. Someone’s bound to break their neck though I suppose Japan is less worrisome about that.” 

Something clicked in Izuku’s mind and he turned toward the source of the voice, confusion still hanging over him. As he turned he was met with piericng blue eyes that were soft, filled with concern. The familiar thin, almost emaciated face flashed a wide apologetic smile and it was strangely comforting.

“Ah, sorry I was rambling. Do you hurt anywhere?” 

Izuku numbly shook his head, eyes locked onto the crouching figure of Old Man Yagi. Only, up close the resident urban legend seemed far more human and less intimidating as he was eye level with Izuku, his towering frame folded into a far less menacing position. Upon closer inspection he did not seem that old either, perhaps indeed old enough to be someone’s grandfather but there was a mysterious youth about him that made his age ambiguous. His thin appearance did little to ease off years though despite the hallowed cheeks showing off sharp cheek bones, the smile negated the spooky skeletal resemblance while the air about him was calm and warm.

“That’s good. It looked like a nasty fall. Suppose it knocked the wind out of you, given you haven’t uttered a peep yet.” 

Izuku mutely nod as he stared unblinking at the man. His blond hair was disheveled, perhaps from his rush over to aid the laid out boy. It gave him an almost comical appearance since it was a bit shaggy in the back and it stuck out at various angles.

A boisterous laugh split the silence like thunder and Izuku startled, blinking from out of his trance but the man simply smiled at him, hands at his side to respect Izuku’s space. He regarded him for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, “You live a few houses down from me, don’t you?”

“Yeah.” The response came out on its own and Izuku didn’t freeze on the spot.

That earned another smile from Yagi though a coughing fit interrupted him and he pressed a hand to his mouth to stifled it. Once the short fit was done he smiled once more, gentle and toothless, “You can say hello when you see me. You don’t have to be afraid, though your reaction is understandable. I admit I can be rather… unsettling.”

Izuku gave a nod though flushed, abashed at his flighty behavior. He could stand his ground in his own home against unknown forces trying to get in but on the street he was just a scared kid. Not to mention what would be his parent’s reaction if they knew he had reacted in such a way to a neighbor who had done nothing to him personally?

“Now I don’t mind tall tales but anything going around about me is most likely not true. Though I suppose basically a foreigner showing up in your neighborhood and keeping mostly to himself for the past few years is the cause for gossip.” The man smile wistfully before softening, “If you’re not sure of the truth, you should go to the source, okay? Rumors can be hurtful.”

Izuku nodded again, gaze locked on the man’s sincere face. Instantly Yagi let out an embarrassed cough and scratched at the back of his head, “Ah, sorry, young man. I’m lecturing you. How about we get you off the ground? Not the most comfortable place to hold a conversation.” 

“Okay.” Izuku pressed his hands against the ground and pushed himself up, planting his feet beneath him. He stood up, brushing off his pants before looking back at Yagi who was still crouching, tilting his head upward to meet his gaze.

“You good, m’boy?”

“Yeah, I think so.” 

“Good.” Yagi smiled and slowly rose, resuming his usual tall stance though up close one could tell he haunched slightly, perhaps out of age or habit to try to make himself less intimidating. “Now, I think proper introductions are in order. I’m Yagi.” He held out a large thin ungloved hand that was covered in calluses. Izuku reached out, taking it, and shook it gently, feeling the warm gentle fingers around his far smaller hand as it was nearly engulfed completely. 

“Midoriya. Izuku Midoriya.” He replied with a faint smile that seemed to be caused by Yagi’s almost contagious grin. He gave a respectful bow along with the handshake. His ears burned as he kept his gaze locked on the ground, “Sorry for screaming at you.” 

“It’s quite alright, young Midoriya. You have quite the set of lungs. Be sure to use them well.” Yagi continued to smile as he released Izuku’s hand. “You’d better hurry, er, be on your way. Wouldn’t want your family worrying.”

“R-right.” Izuku bobbed his head, immediately alert at the thought of his parents. Words bubble up in his throat, anxious as a seemingly capable adult was before him. Maybe he could go for the pol—the thought halted as the man coughed again, sounding far worse than a mild irritant from the brisk air. 

Yagi cleared his throat, mildly bothered but gave a reassuring smile. “It was nice talking to you. Merry Christmas.” 

“M-Merry Christmas.” Izuku parroted, flashing his own polite smile as Yagi, while imposing was merely an older man who shouldn’t get caught up in potentially dangerous business. If the bad guys saw him they might go after him instead and Izuku couldn’t chance that, thinking of the abductions from true crime shows. While the man was indeed imposing, perhaps near the height of Izuku’s own tall father, he certainly was not in his prime or sporting a clean bill of health apparently. Even in his superhero book the hero feared involving others should they become targets too. 

He couldn’t let that happen. 

Izuku felt resolve solidify as he gave a polite nod and bow before turning back toward his house and hurrying as he abandoned his present plan, though this time he kept his hands out to brace himself. 

He was on his own, but he could do it. 

Everything would be alright once the bad guys were caught, then it would be safe to go for the police.

It would be over soon. Dad would be home and this whole thing would be taken care of, no need to worry Mom.

* * *

Several hours and various booby traps later Izuku found himself quickly reconsidering his plan. 

He had managed to race across the street to the nearest neighbors’ house to lock himself in there thanks to the spare key his mom had been given to petsit their pet dog when they were unable to bring it along, hoping the phone lines on that side of the street worked. If the two came after him he just had to get back to his house and lock them out, with the police on the way looking for guys fitting their description. He had set various traps and now the police would be able to catch the bad guys who were trying to force their way into his home.

As he raced toward the room where he knew where the phone was, suddenly rounding the corner, his way was blocked by a form that did not belong there.

“Hiya, squirt.” Tomura growled, snapping a small case close that look suspiciously like lockpicking tools. A dark expression took over his face, twisting his lip that had a scar marring the upper part while his hair looked charred, clumps missing while the distinct smell of singed hair permeated the room. He was covered head to toe with bright feathers, courtesy of Izuku’s art project box and a well used glue gun coupled with plastic wrap. “Climbing down the drainpipe, not bad. But it gave us time to head you off. I’m a bit of a climber myself and Kuro makes an excellent distraction. Thought we were both chasing you, did we?” 

Izuku froze like a deer in the headlights, caught between a startled gasp and pants for breath from his mad run. He started to backup when he bumped into something solid yet soft and a chill ran up his spine. Next thing he knew rough hands were grabbing the front of his shirt and he was dragged into the kitchen, a dangerous glint in Tomura’s eyes while Kuro was right behind him. 

While he thought he had incapacitated the robbers in his own home through various means, they were in fact both very conscious. And enraged. 

“Looks like we outsmarted you this time, you little weasel.”

“What are we going to do to him, Tomura?” Kuro inquired through clenched teeth, a hand pressed to his obscured face that was still smothered by scarfs. His tone shifted slightly as if second guessing himself, his voice a little lighter with almost concern, “What are we going to do? The job-”

“We’ll do **exactly** what he did do us. Then we finish the job, Kuro!” Tomura snarled, pining Izuku against the wall with one hand as he roughly sat him on the counter. The stench of the scorched hair was stifling as Izuku was locked in a state of shock, brain scrambling for a plan as he was literally cornered. “First, I’m gonna burn his head with nothing but a lighter and hairspray! Little pyromaniac!”

“Then we can smash his face with an iron!” Kuro vehemently declared, pulling his hand way to reveal what could be seen of a swollen face and the light imprint of a flat surface with circles. “Drop a wok on his head too!”

“Maybe shower him with firecrackers so he goes deaf and is covered in burns!” 

“Yeah, that too!

“Though, I’d like to see what happens when little brats play with electricity for themselves.” Tomura’s hand twitched in memory of the electrified doorknob as more hives caused by aggravation started to break out on his body. A wild expression crossed his face, an unhinged smile splitting his features, “What do you say, kiddo? How about you find out why Mommy and Daddy say not to stick forks into electrical outlets? Better yet, a toaster!” 

A gasp escaped Izuku as Tomura grabbed at a drawer and yanked it open, making silverware clatter loudly. He snatched a fork and grabbed Izuku’s hand, forcing it into his grip as his own hand clenched down on top of it in a near bonebreaking grip. However Izuku’s gaze left the fork and stared over both’s shoulder, eyes round with fear and disbelief.

“Tomura, that might not be-” Kuro began, raising a hand to protest as he eyed the physical contact, knowing enough of electricity and its ability to be conducted to be concerned. However a resounding clank had him folding onto the floor once more with a loud thud, startling Izuku out of his trance and irking Tomura as he whirled toward the sound.

Only to be met with the backside of a shovel with a resounding thunk.

Tomura crumpled to the floor as well, leaving Izuku sitting on the counter, hand in a frozen grip around the fork as his took in the sight of his unconventional savior. 

“You alright, young Midoriya?”

“Y-Yagi-san?”

“It’s fine now, I am here.” Yagi smiled as he approached, snow shovel in both hands as he stood over the fallen criminals like a hero brandishing a legendary weapon. He took a few steps forward before reaching with one arm and scooping Izuku up against his shoulder. Izuku dropped the fork with a clatter as he grabbed onto Yagi’s shoulder, finding it sturdy despite the bone he felt under the deceivingly puffy jacket the man wore. “Come on.” 

Izuku nodded as he looked at the unconscious Tomura and Kuro, a small, “Wow,” escaping him, letting himself be carried by Yagi’s surprisingly strong arms. Once they were outside and on the street Yagi gently lowered Izuku to the ground with an apology as he dug into his pocket, pulling out a cell phone. He tapped at it for a moment before pressing it to his ear, ushering Izuku toward his home as if he were a knight escorting a royal, armed with a shovel rather than sword in one hand. 

“Tsukauchi-kun? It’s Yagi… No, everything is alright with me. There are two perps that broke into a house on my street. Think you could send some of your boys down to pick them up? I’m afraid I had to act on behalf of self-defense of a minor… Thanks.” He hung up the phone and looked down at Izuku with a comforting smile, resting a gentle hand on Izuku’s head after pocketing the device. “My detective friend should be here soon with the police. Good thing I was making my rounds for tonight.”

Izuku’s mouth opened wider at the news. There really was a detective that visited Yagi’s house, Kacchan was right! That much of the rumor was in fact accurate despite it being the indisputable truth once Kacchan gave his testimony; Izuku could now vouch for his best friend’s statement. However the way the tall man handled a shovel gave him an idea to perhaps specks of truth in the legend of his slaying. Just who had he dealt with back in America? 

“Let’s get you home.” Yagi gently patted his head to signal him though his expression grew concerned as he looked toward the house with the lights on and the wide open door. “Where are you parents? Are they alright? I should’ve told Tsukauchi-kun to call for an ambulance-”

“It’s okay! It’s just me! My dad should be home tonight, for sure! If he’s landed he can get a message! Oh, can I borrow your cell phone since it actually works? Our phone and internet aren’t working. Looks like the cell tower is fixed! Maybe after this I’ll get one too now, like yours!” Izuku exclaimed, suddenly abuzz with energy as the shock from his perilous situation was steamrolled by the new found admiration he felt, eyes sparkling as he began to ramble. “You were **amazing** , Yagi-san! Wow!”

Yagi let out an embarrassed cough that started to turn into a real one but he stifled it, instead grinning at the almost vibrating boy who was displaying an unnatural resilience. However, he had concerns about long term effects from the ordeal as his smile faltered, a pensive and half-way serious expression taking over. “Ah, perhaps I should stay with you until your father comes home. It would be irresponsible of me to leave you on your own until those two are picked up. And to make sure you’re alright, you could be in sho-”

“Yeah! He’s never going to believe this!” Izuku pumped his arms as he dashed off toward the house, a puzzled yet amused Yagi following close behind him, watching in case the energetic youth slipped. A fresh smile appeared as Izuku waved at him, newfound respect and awe radiating from him as if he were a child sized sun, “Wait until he meets you! Kacchan is going to be so jealous he missed out on this!”

Yagi barely contained a chuckle as he followed the boy into his house, leaving his shoes and handy shovel by the door, minding his warnings as various contraptions were strewn about, including fair warning about the icy walk way. One look around and anyone would come to the same conclusion. 

Clearly the duo had picked the wrong house to mess with.

Yagi passed Izuku his cell phone and the boy hurriedly typed a text and sent it off, declaring the message was from him and that he was borrowing a neighbor’s phone. After a few seconds of the boy vibrating on the spot he hit to place a call. The sound of ringing faintly filled the air as Izuku rocked on his heels, gesturing for Yagi to make himself comfortable toward the couch.

Sirens in the distance were steadily growing closer as the two waited for the phone to be answered. He glance back toward the house across the street before turning to find Izuku looking at him, green eyes sparkling and a grin wide. “Dad! It’s me! …No, I’m at home! You’re never gonna guess what happened!”

It certainly wasn’t the sort of Christmas Eve one planned.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading~
> 
> I sprinkled a few nods to other fan fics and headcanons of people. Ducks and woks, you know!
> 
> Given this an AU ages are different, Izuku is 8 while Tomura is 15 and Kurogiri is roughly 24. 13 year old Tomura this savage and experienced just didn't fit for me, especially given the original Home Alone crooks are always grown adults, so I bumped up his age.
> 
> And yes Shirakumo is alive but just faced different events that made him into Kurogiri, but given he's a blend of the two he's just "Kuro" as that collected, professional persona is dominant. Amnesia + head injury will do a number on you for your identity and sense of self. Which actually makes him a milder version of Twice due to his head trauma as both personalities poke through but are much more subdued and blend together a bit easier since both at their core are caring/protectors, though Shira has more of conscious of wrong and hurting others/kids (they're thieves, not kidnappers and thugs, though Tomura is close to it) 
> 
> And due to high demand, Tomura got set on fire like Harry in the movie, though he has far more hair to afford the lost, he's fine. Your welcome. 
> 
> If anything is unclear about the Inko and Hisashi miscommunication (admittedly it is supposed to be confusing): Inko's phone is fried and she's on a long flight and is hit with jet lag. Given her phone's basically dead she didn't have a chance to use a phone at the airport, figuring everything was fine with Hisashi being home and them supposed to be heading on their own mini vacation. The ONE time she doesn't worry...  
> For Hisashi: Got a delayed then cancelled flight and had to rebook, then delayed again with flights being rerouted (no calling mid air whee~). He called Inko and left a message when he got to one airport, which she didn't get due to her phone being dead. He thought she'd arrange for Izuku to stay over at Bakugou's since last he heard he had a play date that day and they've done it before. And of course, he can't call home or email because lines art down (I've had both power (aka internet) AND phone go out at the same time for days, not fun. Unfortunately for Izuku, even with power back on, his internet modem got screwed up so no wifi (especially if it is powered by a working phone line), I didn't address it). 
> 
> Basically a lot of horrible things going wrong at once, it happens.


End file.
